Dyeing machine



Feb. 9,1932. H. scHRoEDERv 1,844,799

DYEING MACHINE Filed Dec. 3, 1929 ,Z3 H. Sf'zroeder a@ f" f Patented 'Fein 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAROLD SCHROEDER, OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOE TO SMITH DRUM &

l COMPANY, OF

'VANIA PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- DYEING MACHINE Application filed December 3, 1929. Serial No. 411,326.`

rlhis invention relates to the art of dyeing and particularly to machines for dyeing cotton, rayon, silk or other material in the skein, and the invention constitutes certain improvements upon the construction illustrated,

described and claimed in my pending application for patent, Serial No. 323,748, filed December Ll, 1928 on dyeing machines.

Machines of this general character have been devised which include a hollow reel projecting out over a dye vat or tank, the reel being perforated and rotatedeither continuously or intermittentl and dye liquor being supplied to the interlor of the reel passing out through the perforations and flowing Y- see whether the color of the skeins is the color desired and whether the ldye is acting properly must remove the skeins from the reel. rlhis has heretofore been accomplished by providing a hydraulic ack or like device whereby the reel or reels may be lifted to carry the dye out of the dye vat. Such a mechanism is relatively costly and complicated.

@ne of the objects of the present invention is to provide a construction which includes a reel mounted for rotation upon a supply pipe, this reel having a radially projecting portion extending through all of the skeins and of such length that when the reel is rotated through half a revolution, the skeins will be` lifted from the dye vat without the necessity of using hydraulic jacks for the purpose.

A further and most important object of the invention is to provide a construction of this character wherein the skeins are held with the yarn in a separated condition floating upon a film of dye liquor formed around the upper portion of the reel, the dye liquor being supplied in sucient quantity through the perforations of the reel so that the skein and' the yarn forming the skein is completely covered or submerged in the dye liquor, the

dye liquor then running'down the skeins of yarn and practically enclosing the skeins and passing down into the` tank or vat, and a further object in this connection is to provide means of this character which shall evenly distribute the yarn over the periphery of the reel and prevent the yarn from becoming tangled or prevent the yarn from lying upon the reel with one skein overlapping the other, and another object in the same connection is to provide means atthe ends of the reel which will prevent the dye liquor issuing from the perforations from sweeping the yarn od of the reel, such means eliminating the necessity of the operator constantly readjusting the yarn, or preventing its oating od over the ends of the reel.

yA further object is to provide in connection with the reel means whereby the lower ends of the hanks or skeins are prevented from floating upon the surface of the dye liquor in the vat, the means acting to hold the lower ends of the yarn dipped into the dye liquor so as to prevent the formation of bubbles upon the surface of the dye liquor which tend to cause the oxidation of the dyes, this means for preventing the lower ends of the hanks from floating also acting as means, when the yarn is lifted, to place a certain amount of strain upon the yarn to take out any twist therefrom.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of my dyeing machine, the tank being in section;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic elevation showing the yarn raised out of the liquor in the dye bath;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4t is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the reel showing the manner in which theA yarn is supported on and surrounded by a lm of dye liquor.

Referring to Figure 1, which shows the general arrangement of the dye vat or tank, and the skein supporting means, desig- (lll nates the vat or tank. Extending over the top of the dye vat is a tubular shaft 11 which is held fixed from rotation. That portion of the shaft which extends over the top of the dye vat is perforated at 12, these perforations being disposed entirely in the top of the tubular shaft. The shaft or pipe 11 is operatively connected to a centrifugal pump 13.

Such connection may be provided with the valve 14. An inlet pipe for the pump is designated 15, this pipe extending into the bottom of the dye vat and being provided with perforations. This pipe 15 may be provided with a valved steam inlet 16 and preferably intersecting the pipe 15 is a pipe 17 extending to a small tank 18 into which fresh dye or salt may be placed. The pipe 11 has extending from it a small pipe 19 provided with a valve and discharging into the tank 18 so that thus new dye or salt may be conducted to the pump by this pipe 1,7. The tank 1() may be provided with the usual drain pipe 20. All of these parts are susceptible of modification without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention. It will be understood that the pipe 11'or tubular shaft may be supported in any desired manner.

Mounted u on that portion of the tubular pipe 11 whic extends over the vat or tank 10 vis a sleeve or pipe 21 which partially embraces the perforated portion of the tube 11,

.this sleeve or pipe 21 being formed with n longitudinally extending slot or opening 22 of such width as to expose the perforations y 12 when the sleeve or tube 21`is turned to what may be termed its lowered or normal position. When, however, the pipe 21 is rotated so that the slit 22 extends downward, the imperforate portion of the sleeve or pipe 21 will cover the perforations 12.

Attached to this sleeve or pipe 21 and rotatable with it is a radially extending part 23 which in the embodiment of my invention illustrated is the segment of an oval in cross section, the pipe 11 completing this oval when this portion 23 is in a dependent position.

While I have above referred to this part 23 as being in the form of a segment of an oval figure, I distinctly do not wish to be limited to this, though I believe it to be preferable. This part 23 may have approximately the form of the segment of an oval figure or might even be rectangular in cross section or have other forms in cross section. It is, gen erally speaking, suicient that there be a radially projecting portion normally depending from the rotatable sleeve 21 so that the reel formed by the portion 23 is eccentric to the pipe 11 upon which it rotates. It is, however, necessary for the complete carrye ing out of my invention that this portion 23 shall have a length sufficient so that when it is rotated from a dependent position to a' raised position, as shown in Figure 2, the skeins of yarn will be lifted with their lower ends out of the dye bath.

I do not wish to be limited to forming the sleeve 21 and the portion 23 of two separate parts or one unitary part. It is sufficient that the sleeve 21 and the member 23 move together. Y

Carried upon the sleeve 21 and the member 23, are flanges 24. These flanges may be relatively deep flanges or relatively shallow flanges. In the latter case, how-ever, a series of radial arms are provided designated 25. These arms slant outward and away from each other or if relatively deep flanges are used', the flanges slant outward and away from each other. The flanges 24 form a very important part of my device. The dye liquor issuing from the perforations 12 is of such Vquantity and at such pr-essure as to. tend to lift the yarn off of the reel, that is, off of the exposedface of the pipe 11 and unless means are provided at the ends of the reel for preventing this action, the yarn will be floated olfvthe ends of the reel unless the ,attendant pays constant attention to preventing this.

It is, therefore, necessary to have flanges pr-eventing this movement of the yarn or the radial arms 25 for preventing this action. Itis, however, also absolutely necessary to provide the flanges 24 whether the arms 25 are used or not in order to prevent the dye liquor from flowing longitudinally of the reel and escaping over the ends thereof. IVithout these flanges, I have found that the yarn is not lifted by a thin film of dye liquor from the face of the perforated tube 11. lith these flanges, the action of the jets of dye liquor issuing from the perforations 12 is to entirely or partially support the skeins or the yarn of the skeins on a film of dye liquor and with a thin film of dye liquor between the skeins and the reel, the skeins may be pushed to and fro upon the perforated tube 11 and off the ends of the reel easily. I have found in practice that with this thin film of dye liquor between the skeins and the pipe 11 that the jets issuing through the perforations of the pipe 11 act to separate the yarn of the hanks or skeins so that if two skeins are lying crossed on each other, then when these skeins are lifted, they will tend to straighten out and so make for better and more even dyeing. I have found in practice withmy mechanism that the liquid issuing from the perforations 12 acts to shift the skeins across the reel so that the skeins become evenly distributed and so that the yarn becomes evenly distributed without one skein lying over anotherand so my device acts automatically to evenly distributethe skeins so that there are no vacant places through which jets of dye liquor are issuing freely and by which large amounts of dye liquor are lost.

I thus create an outward movement of the skeins held in check by the flanges at each end of the reel and I have found that the lifting of the skeins can only be secured if there are flanges at each end for the yarn to push against.

In the normal course of events and while the yarn is being dyed, the portion 23 is in a dependent position as shown in Figure 3. Under these circumstances, the skeins of yarn are lowered into the dye vat.` Now if no means is provided for preventing the lower ends of the skeins from floating, they will float upon the upper surface of the liquor in the dye vat and the liquor issuing from the perforations 12 will not iow down evenly around the skeins and the yarn 4forming the skeins, but will drip off the skeins so that the yarn will not be evenly dyed. In order to prevent any possibility of this occurring, I preferably dispose in the lower portion of the dye vat the roller 26 which has its ends disposed in o-pen top bearings 27. Preferably, through not necessarily, springs 28 are engaged with the roller and draw it downward into the bearings. In the ordinary course of events when the part 23 is dependent the skeins of yarn are loosely engaged with the roller 26 or in other words the lower ends of the skeins extend slightly below the roller so that the roller exerts no strain upon the yarn except insofar as it acts to prevent the lower ends of the yarn from Heating in the dye vat. When, however, the reel is turned so as to lift the yarn to the position shown in Figure 2 the skeins will be lifted and will engage the roller and pull the roller upward thus exerting a strain upon the skeins, preventing the skeins from becoming twisted and holding the skeins in place against the reel. The half rotation of the reel' for the purpose of lifting the yarn is secured by means of any suitable mechanism, as for instance, the wheel 29 mounted 'upon the sleeve 2l.

rlhis may be a gear wheel engaged bypower operated gearing or it may be a manually opas to lift the yarn upward and permit anv individual skein to be withdrawn from the reel and examined to determine whether it is being dyed correctly whether the proper shade has been secured, etc. If the proper shade is not secured, then the dye in the dye vat is strengthened or weakened as may be desired or otherwise treated. The skeins may then be again replaced upon the reel and the roller 26 inserted through the lower end of the skein. The springs 28 are, of course, detachably engaged with the roller so as to permit the removal ofthe skein from the roller,

The main advantage in my construction resides in the fact that the skeins are lifted by a thin film of dye liquor oif of direct con-4 tact with the perforated tube 1l so that the yarn of the skeins is allowed to expand and absorb the dye liquor and so that the dye liquor may Aissue from the orifices l2 so abundantly as to cover or submerge that portion of the skeins which is lying upon the reel and flow down in what may be termed a. column around the skeins and the yarn forming the skeins and into the dye vat thus preventing any oxidation which would oceur by contact of the air with the yarn being dyed. It is,.therefore, necessary that the pump 13 shall have sutlicient power and capacity that the` dye liquor shall be caused to issue from the perforations with volume and pressure enough to accomplish the desired results and with suh'icient iiow to entirely cover the yarn of the skeins with dye liquor.

It is to be noted that with this construction and by my method the entire skein is cnveloped in a downwardly flowing current of dye liquor, this dyev liquor being supplied in such quantity that the dye liquor is in excess of the amount, which would be ordinarily absorbed by the yarn of the skein. It will further be seen. that with this construction there when it is desired to remove a skein of yarn l for testing,fthe rotation of the Vsleeve-like member is stopped with the extension thereof upward andat the same time the flow of dye liquor to the supply tube is shut olf. Then the skein may be lifted olf the reel, examined and replaced and the operation outlined continued. A

It will be understood that pressure alone will only blow holes through the skeins and Y that it is necessary for the proper treatment of the yarn that there should be suflicient volume of dye issuing from the perforations of the reel and sufficient pressure to keep the volume of dye passing through. It will also be obvious that with my mechanism every time that the reel is rotated, the point of contact of the yarn with the reel is changed.

I claim l. A machine for dyeing yarn including a dye vat, a reel disposed over the dye vat, the reel comprising a central fixed tube havying perforations, a sleeve partially surrounding the tube, but in one position exposing the perforations in the top part of the tube, a normally depending portion carried by the sleeve and rotatable with the sleeve around the tube as an axis, means whereby the sleeve Liu and the dependin portion may be rotated, the sleeve having anges at opposite ends eX- tending around that portion of the sleeve which is open, and means for discharging dye liquor into said tube and out through the perforations thereof, the flanges acting to prevent the dye liquor from floating ofi' the ends of the reel and to retain the skeins upon the reel.

2. A machine for dyeing yarn including a dye vat, a reel disposed over the dye vat, the reel comprising a central fixed tube having perforations, a sleeve partially surrounding the tube, but in one position exposing the perforations in the top part of the tube, a normally depending portion carried 'by the sleeve and rotatable with the sleeve around the tube as an axis, means whereby the sleeve and depending portion may be rotated, the sleeve having flanges at opposite ends extending around that portion of the sleeve which is open, means for discharging dye liquor into said tube and out through the perforations thereof, the flanges acting to prevent the dye liquor from floating off the ends of the reel and toretain the skeins upon the reel, and means disposed within the vat and below the ysurface of the dye thereof for placing a strain upon the skeins of yarn when the sleeve is rotated through half a revolution to lift the dependent portion thereof to a raised position, said means acting when the sleeve is in normal position to restrain the lower ends of the skeins from floating on the dye liquor.

3. ln a dyeing machine, a skein supporting reel including a tubular element connected to a source of dye liquor under pressure and perforated longitudinally along its normally upper portion only, the remainder of the tubular element being imperforate, a hollow element fitting over the tubular element and provided along its normally upper portion with a slot to permit the unimpeded discharre of the dye liquor under pressure when t e two elements are in a predetermined position, the hollow element having means whereby it may be rotated.

4. In a dyeing machine, a skein supporting reel including a tubular element connected to a source of dye liquor under pressure and perforated longitudinally along its normally upper portion only, the remainder of the tubular element being imperforate, a hollow element fitting over the tubular element and provided along its normally upper portion with a slot to permit the unimpeded discharge of the dye liquor under pressure when the two elements are in a predetermined position, the hollow element having means whereby it may be rotated, the hollow element having flanges at its ends preventing liquor from flowing off over the ends of the hollow element.

5. In a dyeing machine, a skein supporting reel including a tubular element connected to a source of dye liquor under pressure and perforated longitudinally along its normally upper portion only, the remainder of the tubular element being imperforate, a hollow element fitting over the tubular element and provided along its normally upper portion with a slot to permit the unimpeded discharge of the dye liquor under pressure when the two elements are in a predetermined position, the hollow element having means whereby it may be rotated, the hollow element having flanges at its ends preventing liquor from flowing off over the ends of the hollow element, the hollow element having a single radially extending portion of approximately lthe same length as and extending outward in a direction opposite to the opening in the hollow element. s

6. A method of dyeing which consists in intermittently rotating a skein of yarn with the lower portion of the skein immersed in a dye bath while discharging dye upon the upper portion of the skein to Cause the dye to flow down and envelope the skein and as it is rotated simultaneousl lifting the skein to carry its lower end a ove the level of the dye bath while at the same time stretching the skein longitudinally.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

HAROLD SCHROEDER. 

